Shells After Dinner – watercolor still life painting with sea shells

After a fresh clam dinner during summer vacation, the residue shells became a painting subject. The delicate shadings and pearlescent quality of the shells’ surfaces were fascinating to observe and a challenge to capture in watercolor.

Still connected in two halves, all the shells were grouped on a plate, showing different aspects of surface color or reflectivity. The texture of a hot press paper was suited to the painting, since its surface recalled the remarkable silky texture of the shells, and conducive to capturing the delicate color shifts. Since the plate was white, its shadows also had a similar cast to the shells, creating a unified color scheme for the entire piece.